2018 Ford Focus Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Focus years
- About as many complaints as other years 11th of 20 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 7 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 837 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Ford Focus. That ranks 11th out of 20 Focus model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (319 complaints, 38%), typically at around 56,000 miles. Complaints mention 15 crashes, 3 fires, 11 injuries. There are 7 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 5 defect investigations involving it.
- 837owner complaints
- 7safety recalls
- 5NHTSA investigations
- 15complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 Ford Focus problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train problems | 319 | 38% | 56,000 | “transmission control module” (8%) | $5,750 |
| Engine problems | 232 | 28% | 52,500 | “oil pump” (16%) | $5,300 |
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 132 | 16% | 49,000 | “purge valve” (26%) | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 124 | 15% | 65,619 | “oil pump” (26%) | — |
| Unknown or Other | 78 | 9% | 32,875 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 65 | 8% | 67,000 | “purge valve” (54%) | — |
| Electrical System | 49 | 6% | 41,323 | — | — |
| Steering | 30 | 4% | 47,500 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 27 | 3% | 11,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 19 | 2% | 32,875 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 9 | 1% | 21,043 | — | — |
| Structure | 6 | 1% | 1,715 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 5 | 1% | 52,500 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 1% | 47,183 | — | — |
| Wheels | 4 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 3 | 0% | 32,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 0% | 50 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 0% | 19,565 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 0% | 69,470 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 0% | 62,000 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 0% | 32,800 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 Ford Focus recalls (7)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:evaporative emissions:canister
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012-2018 Focus vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 18V735. The Canister Purge Valve (CPV) may malfunction, causing the engine to stall unexpectedly while driving.
Risk: An engine that stalls while driving increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 29, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S40. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 6,2026.
Power train:manual transmission
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Focus and 2013-2016 Fusion vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall numbers 18V169 and 18V845. The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak.
Risk: A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Additionally, dealers will inspect Focus vehicles and replace the clutch assembly as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed August 5, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S43. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 6,2026.
Equipment:electrical:engine block heater
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, and 2015-2016 MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed March 6, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S01. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 16, 2026.
Equipment:electrical:engine block heater
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Focus, 2019 Explorer, and 2024 Explorer vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed February 13, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in October 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 16, 2026. This recall expands previous recall number 25V685.
Engine and engine cooling:engine:oil/lubrication:pump
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Ford Focus and 2018-2022 Ford EcoSport vehicles. The oil pump drive belt or drive belt tensioner may fail, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure.
Risk: A loss of oil pressure can result in an engine stall and a loss of power braking assist, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the oil pump tensioner assembly and oil pump drive belt, free of charge. If engine failure occurs due to a damaged oil pump belt and/or oil pump belt tensioner, Ford has authorized dealers to replace the engine assembly as an interim repair before the availability of remedy parts for the final repair. This repair will be free of charge (parts and labor). Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S64.
Power train:manual transmission
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Ford Focus vehicles equipped with a 1.0L Fox GTDI engine and a 6-speed manual transmission. The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak.
Risk: A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update vehicles with software that detects and prevents prolonged clutch slip, and will replace the clutch, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S07. Note: This recall is an expansion of Recall 18V-169.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:evaporative emissions:canister
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012-2018 Ford Focus vehicles with a 2.0L GDI or 2.0L GTDI engine. The Canister Purge Valve (CPV) may malfunction, possibly causing excessive vacuum in fuel vapor management system.
Risk: The excessive vaccuum may result in an engine stall while driving, without warning and without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Powertrain Control Module. Dealers will also check for fault codes and replace the CPV as needed. If the CPV is replaced, dealers will inspect and replace the carbon canister, fuel tank and fuel delivery module as necessary. The recall began August 19, 2019. Owners may contact Ford Customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S32. Note: Until the vehicle is serviced for this concern, owners are advised to keep the fuel tank at least halfway full.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Timing Belt Failure (EA26004) — opened Jul 31, 2026, still open.
- Timing Belt Failure (PE25020) — opened Dec 18, 2025, closed Jul 31, 2026.
- Oil Pump Failure (PE23015) — opened Sep 20, 2023, closed Feb 14, 2024, led to recall 23V905.
- Loss of Motive Power (RQ23006) — opened Sep 15, 2023, closed Dec 20, 2024.
- Pedestrian alert sounds (DP22005) — opened Jan 27, 2023, closed Aug 7, 2023, led to recall 22V063000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
when the vehicle accelerates too quickly or up a very gradual hill, barely any slope, it will slow to a stop. this is in line with the current recalls with other Ford focus 2018s likely caused by the Canister Purge Valve. it has the exact same symptoms, poor fuel economy, rough idling so much so…
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that after the vehicle was repaired under a recall, while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly idled, causing the engine to misfire with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle sputtered during the…
My car had been driving fine. Until one day I leave my house and crank my car up and it does not go into reverse. It loses engine power and stalled into traffic. This is an on going issue as you can see stories from other people with the same make and model as my car with the same issue. No warning…
"My 2018 Ford Focus was traveling uphill at highway speed. I fully depressed the accelerator because the vehicle was losing speed. The vehicle did not respond with additional acceleration and subsequently continued to lose speed despite the accelerator remaining fully depressed. The dealership…
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving uphill, the vehicle lost power, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the message "Engine Fault" was displayed. The contact inspected the vehicle and noticed that the check valve on the vacuum…
Other Ford Focus years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 837 | 7 |
| 2017 Focus | 899 | 10 |
| 2016 Focus | 1,183 | 10 |
| 2015 Focus | 1,022 | 9 |
| 2014 Focus | 2,603 | 12 |
| 2013 Focus | 2,112 | 11 |
| 2012 Focus | 3,769 | 7 |
| 2011 Focus | 113 | 0 |
| 2010 Focus | 287 | 0 |
| 2009 Focus | 229 | 0 |
| 2008 Focus | 250 | 1 |
| 2007 Focus | 391 | 0 |
| 2006 Focus | 205 | 0 |
| 2005 Focus | 441 | 1 |
| 2004 Focus | 387 | 1 |
| 2003 Focus | 977 | 1 |
| 2002 Focus | 939 | 1 |
| 2001 Focus | 1,761 | 7 |
| 2000 Focus | 3,686 | 11 |
| 1999 Focus | 11 | 0 |
See all Ford Focus problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Ford Focus?
Owners most often report power train, engine, fuel/propulsion system problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 319 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Ford Focus?
Yes, 7 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 Ford Focus a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Focus model years, the 2018 has about as many complaints as a typical year, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.